Last year, I told you about our backyard pets, the hummingbirds. (Click here to read that Journal entry.) One little guy claimed our yard as his territory, and guarded his space with jealous vigilence. We called him the Boss.

I’m happy to report that the Boss is back! He zoomed in about a month ago and took up right where he left off. This year he has established his guard post in plain sight on top of the back fence, and woe be unto any hummer who tries to encroach on his territory. Actually, this year there don’t seem to be as many trespassers. Toward the end of the season last year we counted up to 7 at one time trying to sneak a quick drink while the Boss’s attention was elsewhere. So far this year we’ve only seen two others, and they’re keeping a fairly low profile. I can’t say I blame them. The Boss can be pretty fierce, even if he is only two inches tall.

But I think word is spreading. The other day we noticed that another hummingbird has moved into a tree in the front yard, safely out of visual range of the Boss’s feeders.We think she’s a female, though that’s an impression only. She’s a bit more slender than the boss, and a soft gray color with a white underbelly. From the anxious chitters she emits every time we go into the front yard, we think she might be protecting a nest, so I’ve taken to calling her the Mama. We totally blew the Boss’s little mind when we moved one of his feeders from the back to the front, just for the Mama. She’s not as bold in her eating habits as the Boss, but judging by the rate at which the nectar is disappearing, she’s a hungry little thing.

This morning as I sat in my prayer chair and watched the feeder through the front window, I was struck by how much attention my husband and I give these tiny little creatures. We love them. When they don’t show up for a day or two, we miss them. We love watching them, and spending time in their presence, and feeding them, and providing for them. They may be tiny, but they bring us such joy.

I wonder if that’s how God feels about us.